Building a legacy

Keiter Corp. cited for growth, revenue in ’22

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Scott Keiter started a construction company in Western Massachusetts during the height of the Great Recession in 2009 and incorporated as Keiter Builders a year later. It could have gone all wrong in that historical decline, but a decade in, business is strong, and Keiter is a strong community partner.

A Longmeadow native, Keiter began working in construction in high school and kept it up during the summers in college. After earning a bachelor’s degree in environmental economics from the University of Rhode Island, he returned to the region to work for area contractors.

When things got tough, Keiter got tougher, starting his own business — simply called Scott Keiter back then — to offer residential home renovations and small additions.

Keiter brought faith and clear direction to his work, and today, he is president and owner of the newly rebranded Keiter Corp., comprised of four divisions: Keiter Builders, the commercial and industrial division; Keiter Homes, offering residential construction;

Hatfield Construction, providing site preparation work; and Keiter Properties, the real estate arm.

The corporation employs roughly 75 people, depending on the season, and they work in roles from administration to accounting and human resources to project managers, site supervisors, carpenters, laborers and operators.

“I did see the growth possibilities even back then,” says Keiter, who also holds a master’s degree in resource economics from the University of Rhode Island and is halfway through his studies for a master’s degree in business administration at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“I have always aspired to build a legacy company, something that is great,” he says. “I feel that our vision has been consistent, and I think we’re meeting our goals day after day and working hard. We have great people who work for us, and that is the key to our success. We’re really proud of that.”

Keiter says he aspires to be a leading construction company in all of Western Massachusetts, and by many measures, he is off to a good start. He and his colleagues recently accepted a Super 60 award for growth and revenue from the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce. For many years, the firm has also landed Best Building Contractor, Best Local Green Construction Company, Best Home Improvement Contractor, Best Builder and Best Home

Improvement Contractor honors from area media reader’s choice awards.

Recent projects include building the McConnell Rooftop Observatory at Smith College, where the installation of incredibly specialized equipment required a great deal of precision; rebuilding the fountain at Frank Newhall Look Memorial Park, which features dec- orative masonry and historical accuracy; and building a new home for pets and their owners at the Easthampton Animal Hospital.

“We’re very proud of what we build and want to continue building structures that bring value to our clients and are fun. We enjoy complicated projects,” Keiter says. He also enjoys giving back to the community.

Keiter sits on boards and committees for area nonprofits, including the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce. He’s also a member of an advisory board for Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School. He is a corporator for Florence Bank and serves on the board for the New England Support Team, a group of contractors who are prepared to assist in a local or national disaster.

What got Keiter Corp. noticed in Northampton, though, were two sizable responsibility of all. We are called as a community to think creatively, innovatively, and entrepreneurially on how we will meet the needs of the post-pandemic recession.

The implications and options of how we, as communities, decide to move forward, are vast. It is at these difficult times when our people look to thought leaders, business, industry, community and faith leaders and higher-education leaders to shed light on cooperation, mechanisms and models that could help drive a sustainable future.

What appears to be clear is that it is time to take a proactive approach and collaboratively work to fulfill the new workforce requirements, understanding that occupational needs have shifted dramatically due to job losses, emerging informal employment opportunities, and self-employment. Moreover, some occupations, such as health care, have suffered significant shifts, with growing needs that will likely see increased demand in the future. In addition, we must keep in mind that no one knows if some of the trends we are seeing today will become permanent changes.

Because the preparation of an adaptable and skilled workforce is the responsibility — in part — of technical, community and four-year colleges and universities, now is the time to focus on helping create a workforce that is ready for the new reality by fostering innovative, entrepreneurial and diverse working environments. This is a role that I believe is inherent to the work of higher education institutions and is one that American International College in Springfield has taken to heart.

In early December, AIC co-hosted the fifth International Interdisciplinary Research Conference, “Blazing New Trails in Creativity, Innovation, and Sustainability.” This conference, held in the Philippines, brought together leaders and educators from more than a dozen academic institutions across the world, including representatives from colleges and universities in the United States, Philippines, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, among others.

The conference was developed to explore needs, models and approaches taken across different countries and industries, in response to the continually changing global community and the educational landscape brought about by the pandemic. It focused on how technological advancements and values-centered research and innovations are becoming the transformative forces driving academic and professional communities and how these foster progress and sustainability.

During this international conference, American International College called for action on the part of higher education and proposed that everyone is this industry think in new ways.

At AIC, we believe that everyone has a prominent role in creating innovative, entrepreneurial, diverse, and interdisciplinary environments to foster change and prosperity, and we trust that this is what is needed to help meet, in part, the challenge of the post-pandemic recession. Not only does this mindset and set of shared behaviors drive the work being done at American International College and has become part of AIC’s new strategy, but it is also directly linked to the college’s values of access, opportunity, diversi- ty, community, and belonging.

The work at AIC is driven by several fundamental elements:

First, a shared understanding that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the mission of higher education and that colleges and universities should be engines for community and workforce development.

Second, AIC understands and supports the notion that an academic culture, animated by entrepreneurial values, not only enhances innovation, but it also generates an environment for students — the future workforce — that allows them to think

Holyoke Community College President Christina Royal and American International College President Hubert Benitez shake hands on June 23, 2022, after signing an articulation agreement that allows HCC students to transfer more smoothly to AIC, where they would enter as juniors after their two years at the community college. The signing took place at differently and be creative.

Third, and most importantly, AIC recognizes that students come from very diverse backgrounds and, as a result, bring unique perspectives. Thus, they want to engage with problems in ways where everyone can make a difference. Therefore, creating a sense of belonging matters.

We have repeatedly heard the phrase, “If you change nothing, nothing will change.” At AIC, we believe it is time to embrace the sentiment behind this phrase. We have begun to foster diversity and innovation by making the work of higher education personal and by being nimble because we are aware that the status quo may not be

The region’s longest-running food and wine event is back in 2023!

The Tasting — With over 200 wines, beers and ciders curated by our partners at Provisions to enjoy along with specialty foods from local restaurants.

The Wine and Food Lovers’ Dinner —

A six course menu in homage to Julia Child.

It’s all in one fabulous place, MGM Springfield, and co-hosted by Amy Traverso from “Weekends with Yankee.” We invite you to raise a glass in support of your public media organization!

Featured guest speakers:

Amy Traverso

“Weekends with Yankee”

Co-host of “ Talking With My Mouth Full”

Christine Tobin

Food Stylist, “Julia” on HBO Max

David Leite

Founder of “David Leite’s Culinaria” and Co-Host of “Talkiing with My Mouth Full”

Laurie Donnelly

Award-winning Executive Producer for National Lifestyle Programming, GBH Lifestyles

Maria Loi

“The Life of Loi”

Sara Moulton

“Sara’s Weeknight Meals”

To purchase tickets for more information visit nepm.org/wine classmates, who had also postponed dreams of earning their teachers licenses, to become one of the first four graduates of Center for Equity in Urban Education.

The center at Elms College is named for longtime benefactor Cynthia A. Lyons.

The program was launched in 2019 under the leadership of Tyra Good, who was recruited from Pennsylvania to direct and carry out the center’s mission to help diversify the teacher pipeline in Western Massachusetts to better relate to and reflect the student population of the region’s urban schools.

In partnership with the public school districts in Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee, the program, according to Good, identifies a diverse group of individuals who are already working in the system as paraprofessionals — or as teachers working on waivers — to clears the next hurdles, including the Massachusetts Tests Educator Licensure (MTEL) exam and complete course work.

The program, focused on increasing the number of Black and brown teachers in Springfield, Holyoke and Chicopee, initially enrolled seven students. It now has 62 enrollees, 52 of whom are Black and Latino and 10 who are white.

“These are people who typically grew up here,” Good said. “They are already working in our schools and want to take their career a little

Greenfield

CONTINUES FROM PAGE K4 time to change direction, but we are trying to stay ahead of the curve in what we do and how we do it,” Toledo said.

Online education is also expanding. For GCC as elsewhere, the adjustment continues in the post-pandemic age.

“Some of our faculty had been doing online as far back as the 1990s. Others did it during the pandemic and went back to the classroom as quickly as they could. But we all have to continue to be better with online offerings,” Schutt said.

“This could put our college in a front-runner position to build enrollment,” said Schutt, who would like to push that 1,400 number up. “But to do that, we need to look different.”

Why would an administrator move from Idaho to a two-year school in Greenfield?

“The core values here of inclusivity, transparency, creativity — those are words I apply to myself,” Schutt said. “And the people I met here cared deeply about the students. I can’t strong-arm or incentivize that. It has to be intrinsic, and I found that here.” Desrochers said the faculty is on par with those at fouryear institutions, which makes Greenfield CC a bargain.

“There is some financial aid available, but also, the amount of scholarships that people don’t have to pay back is tremendous,” he said.

For Pura, the past 60 years provide a groundwork for coming years.

“We’ve produced wonderful accountants, engineers, firefighters, police chiefs, poets, writers, nurses,” he said.

“Our faculty always sees themselves first and foremost as educators, and study after study points to the power of that environment. What I love most is that GCC has always had a heart, soul and price point. We were able to provide a $70,000-a-year education in a community college environment for less than $7,000,” he said.

Pura said Greenfield has always ranked among the state’s top community colleges in graduation and retention rates, and that when students transferred to elite four-year schools, including Smith College and Mount Holyoke, they tended to outperform many who started there. Rather than enter into an bit forward. We help them acquire the skills and education they need to become lead teachers where they can earn higher salaries and better benefits.”

Lee, who now works as a fully licensed, sixth grade math intervention teacher at the John J. Duggan Academy, fits the profile of the kind of individual the center is working to identify.

A graduate of city schools, Lee was already working as a math tutor at Duggan and juggling teaching responsibilities with retail jobs to make ends meet.

“Math is an easy subject for me. I have always loved numbers,” she said, adding that math skills are important for everyday life. She said she enjoys the role of educating students about the relevance of math skills — from paying bills, telling time and saving money.

“It took 21 years to get here, but here I am,” she said.

Duggan’s executive principal Michael Calvanese encouraged Lee to apply for the Elms program as a flexible and affordable way to advance her career. Calvanese has referred other teachers from Duggan, John F. Kennedy and Kiley schools, all of which he oversees. Calvanese said the financial assistance paraprofessionals and unlicensed teachers receive from the Elms program offers his education staff an “unbelievable opportunity.”

He said there is a wealth of talented people working in area schools who are missing that all-important piece of paper. “If I see someone who could be a potential teacher

I refer them to the program,” he said.

According to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the commonwealth is facing an 800-teacher deficit caused in part by COVID-19 and early retirements. Teacher retention is another problem, Calvanese said.

The cost of students to complete the Elms program is $1,000 per 18 credit hours for undergraduate students and $2,500 for graduate students.

It’s made possible with Elms scholarships, philanthropic funds and school district support along with student payment, Good said.

Lee’s fellow graduates — James Brown-Martin, Adriana Rua and Megan Kendrick — are all grateful for the opportunity and the support they received in reaching their goals.

“The people at Elms are like family,” Lee said. “We can always pick up the phone to ask a question of Dr. Good, whether it be about paperwork or financial aid assistance.”

She added that the support of peers in the program is also a key to success.

Rua, who was thinking of becoming a teacher, was working in the sales department at a local company when she was offered a buyout. The Lyons center paved the way for her.

Rua, who already had a master’s degree in engineering, is now working as an advanced math intervention teacher at Rebecca Johnson Elementary School in Springfield.

“The program helped me become a more well- rounded teacher,” Rua said. “Coming in as a nontraditional teacher, it helped me build the confidence to become the teacher I am today.”

Brown-Martin, who had been working in the Springfield Public Schools for years, said the program gave him the opportunity to earn his master’s degree. He teaches math at the Academy at Kiley middle school.

Kendrick, of Enfield, who teaches at John F. Kennedy, also learned about the Elms center from Calavanese.

“It was a no-brainer to take advantage of the opportunity to earn my master’s degree,” she said, adding that it has

Welch

CONTINUES FROM PAGE K2 structured and happens occasionally with approval by the manager. enhanced her teaching skills and enabled her to meet the needs or her students.

Video conferencing with employees for ongoing training and normal meetings will continue. Our locations extend from Enfield to Greenfield, so it is often more efficient to have staff sign on rather than drive to our main office for a meeting. However, we are trying to determine the correct balance of online or in-person meetings to maintain collaborative relations between our staff.

The idea for the Center for Equity in Urban Education took shape when Elms president Harry Dumay took office in 2017. He made it a prior- ity to find ways to serve the needs of the diverse Greater Springfield community that the college serves.

Recognizing teachers of color were underrepresented in urban school districts in Western Massachusetts, the center proved a natural fit for a college that has trained educators since its founding in 1928 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Dumay said.

Currently about 68% of the Springfield Public School students, for example, are Hispanic and about 18% are Black, but only 12.2% of teachers are Black and 10.1% are Latino, with 75.2% identifying as white.

Dumay said the widening achievement gap between urban school districts needs to be narrowed. A well-trained diverse teaching staff can help disadvantaged students realize that they, too, have a place at the front of the classroom, he said.

“Good teachers have all kinds of positive impacts on their students — including improved academic and life outcomes — and happiness,” Dumay said, adding that for minority students, having teachers who look like them is an added benefit.

Good believes when students of color in urban schools see someone who looks like them it has an impact. “They begin to think, ‘I can do this,’” she said. “It’s a matter of representation.” uncertain college world at age 18, and one whose four-year cost inhibited their ability to review goals or change course, “they were able to (first) explore what they wanted to do,” Pura said.

She also believes white teachers benefit from the insight and an expanded world view when they are working with colleagues from diverse communities.

“Some institutions have priced themselves out. Here, students have an opportunity to figure things out as opposed to starting out at $60,000 to $70,000 a year, which makes it harder for them to tell their parents they want to take another year, or change majors or classes.

“Also, at GCC, students haven’t had to make an appointment two weeks in advance to see their professor. It’s become more of a first choice over time, and it’s helped graduates get good jobs,” Pura said.

He pointed to the wealth of graduates who are first responders in the Pioneer Valley, and to Jody D. Kasper, Northampton’s first woman police chief.

Pura, whose father was an immigrant, says community college in general — and

Greenfield in particular — speaks to social and economic mobility that represents the fabled American Dream.

“The image of the community college has changed, especially at price point. As GCC and the other 15 state community colleges go, so goes Massachusetts. And as they go, so goes America,” Pura said.

Now 37, Daniel Desrochers concurs from personal experience.

“I’m a first-generation college student. I failed (at continuing college) my first time,” he said.

“As an emergency medical technician, I saw that GCC offered paramedic training but also a college education. That sparked my interest, because most programs offered training but not college credit,” he said.

“I fell in love with the campus,” Desrochers said, “and I went on from here to get my master’s degree. And now I’m still here, a proud GCC graduate, as so many others are.”

During the last few years there was a lot of isolation in the workplace and less of a sense of team due to the changing environment. In our strategic planning this year, Freedom has determined that improving employee relations is paramount in 2023. We will bring together groups of employees to work as teams on various recognition committees, generate employee retention ideas, and reinvigorate our Volunteer Time Off day to get more employees back out into the community.

We believe there could be a recession looming on the horizon. Higher interest rates and costs are impacting consumers. While Freedom projected an additional two rate increases of .25% in January and March, we expect that rates could then hold at that level throughout 2023. Our trusted economic advisers expect that any recession will be mild and take place during the second half of the year.

A recession could impact Freedom, as its members may find it difficult to keep current on their loan payments. It could also result in a reduction of deposits as struggling members utilize their savings to pay their bills or keep up with the increased cost of living due to inflation. We have a strong balance sheet and good loan underwriting so a short-term recession will not have a big impact on Freedom. We do want our membership to know that we will be here to help in any way we can to get them through their financial issues caused by inflation or a future recession.

Freedom Credit Union has been here for 100-plus years, and we will continue to be committed to our members and our community.

Glenn S. Welch is president and CEO of Freedom Credit Union. To learn more about Freedom and its services, go online to freedom.coop